Boys soccer player of the year: Gregorio Calvillo

Gregorio Calvillo’s high school soccer career was sensational, even if he came up a state championship short.

The Palmetto senior forward and HTPreps Boys Soccer Player of the Year was instrumental in the four consecutive district championships and regional title his team won as well as the trip to the FHSAA 4A Boys Soccer Finals.

Along the way, he became the Tigers’ all-time leading scorer.

It’s all more than he could have envisioned when, as a Palmetto Elementary fourth grader, Calvillo began attending Tigers varsity games and dreaming only of someday having a chance to play for them.

“I was a ball boy for a really long time, I always dreamed of playing for Palmetto. I didn't think I would become anything big,” Calvillo said. “But when I got there it felt right. It was my dream to be the Palmetto star and make a difference and be special. Thanks to my team, they helped me become who I am a player and as a person. I was very blessed to have such a good team and teammates. It was a good career.”

Calvillo recalled that during tryouts his freshman year he wasn't sure he'd even make the team.

“That’s pretty funny,” said Palmetto coach Dustin Dahlquist. “If we weren't in such desperate need for bodies, he might not have made the team. We had just gone to two straight Final Fours. But we graduated 12 seniors and 11 seniors. He probably in most years would not have made it.”

After starting his career as a defensive midfielder, Calvillo was converted to offense halfway through his freshman season by Dahlquist in a game against Cardinal Mooney in Sarasota.

“He told me to get up front, I was thinking, ‘All right,’” Calvillo said. “My brother (Pedro) was playing forward. We played really well together. He decided to keep us both up there.”

Neither Dahlquist or Calvillo at the time could have foreseen Calvillo becoming the program's all-time leading scorer for both career goals (120) and goals in single season, with 48 as a senior. He first set the record with 43 goals as a junior, topping the previous mark of 28 goals.

“It doesn’t happen overnight,” he said. “People don't score goals all the time. It definitely took a lot of work, which was painful, in the summer. It was intense and good for our team to get close. When you’re very tired it brings the team together.”

“He puts in as much work as any high school player I've seen,” Dahlquist said. “The velocity and accuracy he puts on his shots, to me it's unparalleled. He's as good of a soccer player as I've seen, especially in this area.

“With his size, speed, power and work ethic, I think he’s capable of doing anything he wants on the soccer field.”

Calvillo believes he would not have been as successful without his four senior teammates that also were part of Palmetto's nucleus, including Javis Paniagua, Hunter Brown, Tyler Lawrence and Usiel Martinez, all of whom were four-year varsity starters.

“I’ve been playing with them all my life, since I was 7 years old,” Calvillo said. “They're a great group of guys. They're self-motivated. They wanted to become better. Everybody was on the same wave length and they wanted to win. That made everything a lot easier.”

Palmetto 's record over their four years was 74-19-11, but the Tigers only made one trip to the state tournament with five very talented four-year varsity senior starters.
“If you’d have told me we’d end up without multiple trips to the Final Four with this group, I wouldn't have believed it,” Dahlquist said. “It’s pretty disappointing the way the year actually ended.”

Two of Calvillo's favorite memories were the time when he scored three goals, all of them coming on headers, in a 3-2 victory at Clearwater this season and the game last year when he scored two goals in a regional semifinal win over Tampa Jesuit.

Yet, Calvillo's career ended with a 4A regional semifinal 3-0 loss to Seminole, the team the Tigers (21-3-1) had beaten twice previously, including in the District 10 championship game.

“It was a pretty depressing game. We had 20 shots on goal, and none of them went in,” Calvillo said. “Soccer is a pretty crazy game. It can change in some situations.”

Calvillo credits his brother, Pedro, an outstanding player himself who graduated last year, for giving him guidance and direction in his high school soccer career.

“Before I went to high school, he told me it wasn't going to be easy,” Calvillo said. “I had to work hard and I did that. Then I got to that point where I knew I would have a good chance of playing and starting.”

Calvillo also appreciates Dahlquist for helping his development and promoting him to college coaches.

“He inspires us to be better and motivates us,” Calvillo said. “He's a great guy. He helped me get to into college. Thanks to him, I'm going on to the next level.”

Now he will continue his soccer career at Eastern Florida State College in Melbourne, where he received a scholarship. From there, Calvillo plans to move on to a Division I school.

“Hopefully, I’ll keep on picking my grades up and transfer to USF,” he said.

Player of the Year Gregorio Calvillo, Palmetto Senior
Set the Palmetto school record, scoring 48 goals while leading Palmetto to its sixth straight district championship.

Coach of the Year Vito Bavaro, Lakewood Ranch
Guided the Mustangs to the FHSAA Class 4A State Tournament for the first time in the program's history after winning second straight district title. Has 98 wins in his seven years at Lakewood Ranch.

First Team Matthew Jones, Saint Stephen's Senior
The forward displayed great vision and technical ability leading the Falcons to the FHSAA Class 1A State Tournament, scoring 28 gaols with 21 assists.

Jeremy Jackman, Saint Stephen's Senior
Another member of the Falcons' outstanding forward line, Jackman complemented Jones with 23 goals and 36 assists, which Saint Stephen's coach Marc Jones credited as being a huge factor in the team's run to the 1A Final Four.

J.J. Byrnes, Saint Stephen's Senior
The goalie allowed an average of just 1.4 goals per game for the FHSAA 1A state finalist Falcons.

J.T. Truitt, Riverview Senior
The Rams' MVP and team captain center midfielder played a large role in Riverview winning its first district championship in 10 years. He also carries a 4.94 weighted grade-point average.

Stephen Mack, Riverview Senior
The Rams' MVP on offense was their second-leading scorer and best offensive player on a team that won the program's first district championship in 10 years.

Hunter Brown, Palmetto Senior In his fourth varsity season as a starter at forward, Brown complemented Gregorio Calvillo in the Palmetto front line by scoring six goals and adding 10 assists.

Usiel Martinez, Palmetto Senior
In his fourth year as a starting midfielder, he scored eight goals and added 11 assists in the Tigers' attack.

Javis Paniagua, Palmetto
Senior
In his fourth year as a starting midfielder, he showed his exception ball handling skills by scoring eight goals and adding 16 assists as a vital part of the Tigers' potent attack.

Ryan Sollazzo, Lakewood Ranch Senior
From his forward spot, the three-year varsity performer was the Mustangs' leading scorer with 13 goals and 10 assists.

Liam Bramley, Lakewood Ranch Sophomore
The second-year varsity starter recorded eight shutouts and a 9-4-4 record in goal, despite missing four weeks with a knee injury.

Reese Riggins, Lakewood Ranch Sophomore
A two-year starter at sweeper, Riggins was the Mustangs' best defender and also scored 10 goals and five assists, switching to offense for free kicks and corner kicks.

Gaspar Margaryan, North Port Junior
In his second varsity season, the standout forward with a never-say-die attitude scored 17 goals and eight assists for the 4A-District 11 runner-up Bobcats, who finished with a 13-9 record.

Last modified: April 6, 2014
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